


An Early Christmas Gift

by Cornbread5287



Series: This Life We Live [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombies, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 15:31:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5339273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornbread5287/pseuds/Cornbread5287
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl wants to surprise Rick for Christmas, then Rick surprises him right back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Early Christmas Gift

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read as a stand alone story. However, if you want to read about how Rick and Daryl actually started this relationship, you can go read Some Kinda Family. That story takes place sometime in early August, and this one takes place roughly two weeks before Christmas in the same year. Enjoy, friends! :)

Daryl woke up early and got dressed, putting on a pot of coffee before calling Rick for their usual morning chat.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Rick answered on the first ring. Daryl grunted.

“You get that tree up yet?”

“No,” Rick sighed. He sounded exhausted. “Been working a lot of overtime lately. This time of year is always busy, and after we lost three last month to transfers, we just can’t handle it all. I’m beginning to think we won’t have one this year,” he said, and the sadness in his voice made Daryl’s heart clench.

He knew how much Christmas meant to Rick; ever since Halloween Rick had been talking about it. He’d tell Daryl story after story about Christmases when he was a kid, about how his grandpa would tell stories and his mother would make hot chocolate and cookies, about how his dad would dress up as Santa. He also told Daryl about Christmases when Carl was little, and Judith’s first Christmas, and how last year Carl built a slide down their stairs with the empty Christmas boxes and pushed her down over and over.

Rick had been humming Christmas music since before Thanksgiving. He’d bought countless tins of holiday cookies. He even had an ugly Christmas sweater that he’d started wearing to bed.

It broke Daryl’s heart that Rick thought he wasn’t going to get to decorate this year.

But, Daryl reminded himself, that’s why he took off work today. Carl was already on Christmas vacation, so the two of them were going to give Rick a bit of an early Christmas present.

“It’ll be okay, Rick,” Daryl soothed. “Maybe things will slow down soon.”

“Maybe,” Rick replied, sounding unconvinced. He sighed again. “Better get offa here, I’m at the station.”

“A’right.”

“I love you,” Rick said softly.

“Love you back,” Daryl murmured, and they hung up. Daryl poured his coffee into a thermos and hopped into his truck, calling Carl as he pulled out of the driveway.

“Mmm,” Carl answered groggily.

“Hey, it’s me. I’m gunna go pick up some sparkly shit for the house, you dig the tree out of the garage. Okay?”

“Okay, no problem,” he answered, wide awake now.

 

*****

 

Daryl rolled up to the Grimes’ house and started unloading the truck. Carl ran outside to help him, holding Judith’s hand.

“Hey, Carl. Hey Asskicker,” he cooed at the toddler as they took the bags in.

They got to work immediately, Judith “helping” by getting in their way and trying to eat the instructions as Carl and Daryl tried to figure out how to put up the tree. It took them a good two hours, but they finally got it done.

Carl started on the ornaments, letting Judith put some on the bottom, while Daryl ordered them a pizza.

“Hey, Daryl,” Carl said when he was halfway through his third slice.

“Mmm?”

“Thanks for doing this. For Dad. Christmas is his favorite, and he was really upset because he didn’t think we’d get to decorate this year. And… just, thanks a lot,” the teenager looked down at his pizza, his ears going red. Daryl was sure he was blushing, too.

“You’re helpin’ too,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, but it was your idea. You take good care of Dad, you know that? You guys are good for each other.”

Daryl stared hard at the boy for a moment. Then he got up and pulled Carl into a rough hug. “Finish your pizza,” he grumbled as he released Carl, “I’m gunna start with the lights outside.”

 

***** 

 

Another hour and three close calls later, Daryl climbs down the ladder and looks at the house with his hands on his hips. Carl brings Judith out, and Daryl grabs her up, swinging her into the air and making her giggle.

“Wacha think, lil Asskicker? Them lights purty?” He points to the lights, watching her little eyes go wide and her mouth gape open, spilling slobber onto her chin.

“Pitty,” she said softly, gazing up at the multicolored lights. Daryl smiled and put her down.

“Okay, now let’s inflate this stupid Santa Clause.”

The Santa Clause kept tipping over, so Carl and Daryl had to work an elaborate web of string tying it to the porch post to keep it upright. Carl covered it with tinsel, though, to make it look intentional. They finally went inside, and Daryl made the kids some homemade hot chocolate before hanging a few more decorations around the house.

“Daryl,” Carl said, grinning, “In that corner over there, is that m-“

He froze mid-sentence as a car pulled into the driveway.

A _cop car._

“SHIT!” Carl yelled, grabbing up what was left of the trash from the decorations and flinging it into the trash can. Daryl put the stepstool he was using away quickly just as Rick came into the house.

“You’re home early,” Daryl mumbled as Rick walked in. He looked around, a huge, toothy smile on his face.  
“Did you do all this?” he asked quietly.

“Carl helped,” Daryl mumbled, blushing. He kept his eyes downcast.

Rick thanked Carl, and Carl made an excuse to go to his room, taking Judith upstairs with him. Rick slowly walked over to Daryl, who was still standing in the middle of the floor.

“Carl told me it was your idea,” Rick said softly, still grinning. He tilted his head down to catch Daryl’s eye. Daryl just shrugged, but a tiny smile was playing at his lips.

“Do you…?” He began and then stopped, blushing furiously.

“Do I what? Like it?”

Daryl nodded. Rick wrapped his arms around Daryl, hugging him tightly.

“I love it,” he whispered. “I love _you_.”

Daryl grabbed a handful of Rick’s shirt and backed up, taking Rick with him. Rick gave him a questioning look, but Daryl just looked up. Rick followed his gaze.

“Mistletoe s’ hangin’ over here,” Daryl whispered, smiling slightly.

“Imagine that,” Rick whispered back. They locked eyes for a moment; Daryl put his hands on either side of Rick’s neck and pulled him in.

They kissed long and slow, all the gratitude Rick felt and all the reasons Daryl did what he did poured into the action. The words they didn’t know how to say were spoken silently as Daryl bit at Rick’s lip and licked at his teeth. Rick sighed softly as they broke apart, putting his arms around Daryl’s neck loosely. Rick looked Daryl in the eye.

“Move in with me,” he said quietly.

Daryl froze, a deer-in-the-headlights look coming to his face. Rick moved one hand to the side of Daryl’s neck and rubbed small circles there with his thumb.

“I know it’s a big step, a big commitment, but you’re over here all the time anyway. You’ve been saying how the kids don’t have any room inside your house. They love you; I love you. You belong here, Daryl. With us. With me. Move in with me, babe. I want to wake up beside you every morning. I want a kiss before work instead of a call. I want to fight over who is hogging the bathroom. I want to wave goodbye to you as you drive Carl to school. I want to make love to you in my bed. And on my couch. I want to make you pancakes on Saturday mornings. I want you to make squirrel stew on Sunday evenings. I want to have family game nights. I just want you here, with me, by my side. I need you here, Daryl. Please.”

Daryl stared at Rick until he was done speaking. He tried to answer, but his heart seemed to be lodged in his throat so he couldn’t talk.

So he just nodded.

“Yeah?” Rick whispered, his eyes going wide.

“Yeah,” Daryl said back gruffly. Rick’s eyes were wet and Daryl was sure his were, too, and the lights from the Christmas tree made Rick’s skin look like it was made of precious stones and Daryl had never felt more alive in his whole life.

It was perfect. He was home.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Leave me comments! I want to know what you thought! :) Thanks for reading!


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